Hypersonic Boost-Glide Weapons

reportActive / Technical Report | Accesssion Number: AD1169519 | Open PDF

Abstract:

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is pursuing two types of hypersonic weapons technologies: boost-glide systems that place a maneuverable glide vehicle atop a ballistic missile or rocket booster, and cruise missiles that would use high-speed, air-breathing engines known as scramjets to travel to hypersonic speeds. This In Focus addresses only the first of these technologies. The Pentagons FY2023 budget request for hypersonic related research is $4.7 billionup from $3.8 billion in theFY2022 request. This increased funding and statements from Pentagon officials demonstrate growing support for weapons that could attack priority targets promptly and with improved accuracy without facing defeat by an adversarys air or missile defense systems. Pentagon officials have also expressed concerns about advances in hypersonic weapons technologies in Russia and China, and on the potential threats to U.S. forces, allies, and territory.

Author(s):
Slayer, Kelley M. ; Woolf, Amy F.
Author Organization(s):
Congressional Research SVC
Funding Organization(s):
Congressional Research Service, Washington , DC
Document Type:
Technical Report/Congressional Report
Publication Date:
2022 May 05
Pagination:
3

Security Markings

DOCUMENT & CONTEXTUAL SUMMARY

Distribution Code:
A - Approved For Public Release
Distribution Statement: Public Release

RECORD

Collection: TRECMS
Subject Terms
Modernization Areas:
Hypersonics
Communities of Interest:
Weapons Technologies
Descriptor(s):
hypersonic weapons, hypersonic glide vehicles, ballistic missiles, department of defense, rockets, trajectories, united states, booster rocket engines, flight, reentry vehicles, vehicles, weapons, ballistic trajectories, boost glide vehicles, congress, cruise missiles, warfare
Subject Categories:
Military Sciences
Creation Date:
2022 May 23
Update Date:
2022 Jul 08